'When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses not zebras' - the old adage is well-known to GPs but what should you do when faced with a zebra, not a horse? Consultant cardiologist Professor Robert Tulloh and GP Dr Louise Tulloh kick off our new series with their advice on how to catch Kawasaki disease in general practice.

The GPC's latest newsletter advises GPs to ensure they are aware of the latest guidance in conducting smears, after a row over mandatory training on cervical cytology.

Last year the GPC complained GPs were being forced to undergo ‘patronising' and ‘unnecessary' cervical smear training, and in January the Department of Health wrote to PCTs instructing them not to make such training mandatory.

But in its March newsletter, the GPC warned: ‘Following the recent letter from Barbara Hakin regarding mandatory cervical cytology training, we would still advise practices to make sure that anyone conducting smears are cognisant of the latest guidance. We have had some reports of smears being carried out without the cervix being visualised; this is not good practice and leaves practices open to legal action.'

Dr Bill Beeby, chair of the GPC clinical prescribing subcommittee and a GP in Middlesbrough, said: ‘The letter from Barbara Hakin at the DH was about PCTs micro-managing GP training and insisting on one-size-fits-all training. What it does not do is remove from GPs the responsibility to ensure they and their staff are competent and professional to protect patient safety.'

‘If someone cannot visualise the cervix when taking a smear test they are either incompetent, or they have a difficult case, in which case the patient should be referred.'